RANGE Rover’s next-gen Evoque has been spotted undergoing testing on public roads in Germany, but its heavy front-end camouflage and Frankenstein ripped-and-riveted body is keeping any juicy details a secret for now.
A full reveal of the second-generation small SUV is not expected until mid-2018, six years after the original car’s debut in 2011, but the spotting of a test mule in public suggests the hype campaign is ramping up.
What little can be gleaned from the disguised car is that the new version appears to have a wider track, as indicated by the bolt-on rear wheel arch extensions, but sources suggest the wheelbase remains the same.
That may well be the case for this latest development mule but it does not guarantee any dimensional features will carry over to a full prototype or the production vehicle.
The shots also appear to show a boosted rear ride height, and the presence of a tow bar implies that this workhorse is responsible for testing rear suspension and transmission.
One small mystery regards a heavily modified fuel filler flap – or perhaps charging socket - that suggests the engineers are working on significant changes here as well. If the new Evoque borrows a platform or mechanicals from sister brand Jaguar and the F-Pace, electrified versions similar to the E-Pace or forthcoming I-Pace are a possibility.
Front end camouflage and crude sheet overlay panels are not giving anything away, while all other exposed bodywork is current Evoque. Any other details are therefore speculative.
It is likely the car maker will offer the latest engines in its arsenal including new engines from the Ingenium family, while a combination of two- and four-wheel drive transmissions will also transpire, mirroring the existing range.
In its current form, the Evoque has not long been out and about as a fun-seeking convertible and if the British car maker is planning on a gen-two version expect it to arrive after the initial tin-top model.
